entertained for a
single moment the changes even in constitutional countries will be
endless. But the curious paradox is that in former days the critics
said that only a republic, not a monarchy, could be constitutional;
whereas, the critics now say that a monarchy, not a republic, can
alone be constitutional!

IV. THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONSTITUTION

Let me therefore lay down a simple definition of what a Constitution
is before discussing whether the contentions of the critics are
reasonable. My opponents will agree with me that the main principle
of a constitutional government is that the legislative organ should
always balance the executive and that the exercising of the
administrative power is always limited to a certain extent. They
will also agree that the most important point of a so-called
constitutional monarchy is that the monarch should act as a
figurehead, and that the establishment of a responsible cabinet is
an indispensable accompaniment. If these simple principles are
recognized then we must put up the theory for discussion. Let us
then raise the question who shall be the monarch. In plain words, is
the person in our mind the President? or any other person? (In view
of the repeated declarations of the President that he will never
consent to become an Emperor, this suggestion on my part is a gross
insult to his character, but I crave to excuse myself as this is
only mere speculation and supposition.) What shall we do with the
President if we find another man? The President, having so long
borne the burdens of the State, will certainly be only too willing
to vacate his post to live in retirement as far as his own person is
concerned, but can we imagine that the country will allow the
President to retire? If not, then are we going to ask the President
to form a responsible cabinet under a figurehead monarch? Even if we
take it for granted that the President, out of love for the country,
would be willing to sacrifice his own principles and yield to the
wish of the country, it will be dangerous indeed if he--a person on
whom the whole nation depends--is placed in the path of parliament.
Therefore the contention that a constitutional monarchy will be
attained if a person other than the President be made a monarch is
false and baseless.

Shall we then make the p